Sophisticated Surface-to-Air System Needed to Shoot Down High-Flying Jets

Shoulder-Held Weapons Can't Reach Extreme Altitudes

The missile that the U.S. says brought down a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet over Ukraine would have been from a sophisticated surface-to-air missile system; the question that leaves is who fired on the plane. WSJ's Roebrt Wall looks at how common these missile threats are to airlines. Photo: Finnish Defense Forces

The missile that the U.S. says brought down a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet over Ukraine would have been from a sophisticated surface-to-air missile system; the question that leaves is who fired on the plane.

Both Ukraine and Russia have such advanced systems as part of their military—and some separatists rebels have claimed they do, too. An adviser to Ukraine's interior minister accused pro-Russia separatists of shooting down the...